Key Component for BASF Large-Scale Heat Pump Successfully Delivered
Please note: GIG Karasek is now GKT
Photo: @ GIG Karasek
With the delivery of the plate falling-film evaporator, a forward-looking flagship project has reached another important milestone: one of the world’s most powerful industrial heat pumps for CO₂-free steam generation is being built at the BASF site in Ludwigshafen.
The component, weighing around 95 tons and measuring 16 meters in length, was manufactured by GIG Karasek and transported several hundred kilometers via inland waterways to Ludwigshafen. After arrival at the BASF port, it was transferred to the construction site at the steam cracker using heavy-duty transport.
The plate falling-film evaporator is part of an innovative energy concept: using green electricity, previously unused waste heat from a steam cracker is converted into CO₂-free process steam. With a thermal capacity of around 50 MW, the system will be able to generate up to 500,000 tons of steam per year and save approximately 100,000 tons of CO₂.
The technological basis is the CompriVAP solution developed by GIG Karasek—an integrated heat pump system based on mechanical vapor recompression (MVR). In this process, vapor is compressed using electrically driven compressors to a higher energy level and then reused as process heat.
The delivered plate falling-film evaporator plays a central role within this system. A key process requirement is the reliable prevention of even the smallest amounts of oxygen. While conventional vacuum systems are often complex in design, the specially developed concept with an integrated intermediate heat exchanger enables safe separation—ensuring stable, oxygen-free steam generation.
As EPC partner, GIG Karasek is responsible for the engineering, supply, and implementation of the entire plant. Commissioning is scheduled for mid-2027.
With the successful delivery of this key component, the project is progressing as planned and demonstrates how industrial waste heat can be efficiently utilized—making a significant contribution to the decarbonization of the process industry.
Contact us to learn more: press@gkt-solutions.com
